Material / Image Research Lab (MIRL)

Today in the LA Times there’s an interesting article about the history of the Ghent Altarpiece, and the conservation team working on a detailed analysis of it.  The work, paid for by a  $230,000 grant from the Panel Paintings Initiative of the Getty Foundation, is being done in a high-security room in a side chapel of St. Bavo Cathedral, the altarpiece’s permanent home.  In addition to examining the condition of the paint and panels, the team is also looking into the effects of climate and air quality, and overall security issues.